Fri, 09/21/2012 - 13:44

Hastings Park: What a Score has pace edge

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – What a Score looks like the one to catch in a $15,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings on Sunday. She also looks like the one to beat in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint that drew seven horses and goes as race 7 on the eight-race card.

Fri, 09/21/2012 - 13:30

Woodbine: La Tia takes perfect Polytrack mark into La Lorgnette

Four-Footed Fotos
La Tia wins the Arlington Oaks to run her Polytrack record to 4 for 4.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – La Tia has been a new filly since being transferred to trainer Brian Williamson and discovering Polytrack at Arlington this year.

On Sunday, La Tia will be looking to run her Polytrack record to 4 for 4 when she faces just five rivals here in the 1 1/16-mile La Lorgnette, an open race for 3-year-old fillies that offers a purse of $150,000.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 17:07

Pennsylvania Derby: Alpha, Golden Ticket face off after Travers dead heat

Barbara D. Livingston
Alpha (6) puts on a late surge and gets to the wire in time to finish in a Travers dead heat with Golden Ticket.

Unlike in 1874, when the two combatants who dead-heated for first in the Travers Stakes – Attila and Acrobat – staged a run-off the same day to decide the winner, there was no such exercise conducted this year.

Instead, Alpha and Golden Ticket – the two horses who dead-heated for first in last month’s 143rd edition of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga – will have a rematch in Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing. They will be joined in the starting gate by six other 3-year-olds, only one of whom has won a graded stakes.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:56

Emerald Downs: Blueberry Smoothie looks tough in Barbara Shinpoch Stakes

AUBURN, Wash. – The $50,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, originally scheduled for Aug. 26 but postponed when the race failed to attract enough horses, will go as the feature race Saturday at Emerald Downs. Blueberry Smoothie is likely to start as a short-priced favorite in a field of five.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:25

Louisiana Downs: Look At the Time should improve back on turf for Red Erwin

Lynn Roberts
Look At the Time scores a 3 1/4-length victory in the Gentilly Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Look At the Time has made just two starts on the grass, but both were notable efforts and suggest he will relish the return to turf Saturday at Louisiana Downs in the $150,000 A.L. “Red” Erwin. The race, for 3-year-olds bred in Louisiana, is part of the annual “Southern Showcase” card of six restricted stakes worth a cumulative $600,000.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:17

Parx Racing: Questing faces only three rivals in $1 million Cotillion

Tom Keyser
Questing convincingly wins the Alabama, her second Grade 1 of the Saratoga meet. She'll face only three rivals in the Cotillion.

It would have been far-fetched just a few months ago to think that the presence of Questing in a $1 million race would be largely responsible for that race drawing just a four-horse field.

But such is the case for Saturday’s Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx where Questing will look to continue to build her r è sum é for a 3-year-old filly championship when she takes on just three opponents in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:10

Arlington: Beating Third Chance in Addison Cammack a tall order for Block duo

Four-Footed Fotos
Third Chance has won all three of her starts this year, including the Isaac Murphy Handicap (above).

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The trainer Chris Block has personal reasons for wanting to win the inaugural edition of the $65,000 Addison Cammack Stakes on Saturday at Arlington Park.

Cammack, who died of lung cancer at 70 last December, operated an equine transport business and was a well liked fixture on Chicago backstretches. It was common for him to linger slightly longer than business required during his visits to the Block barn. He and Block simply seemed to enjoy one another’s company.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 16:02

Calder: Angelica Zapata fresh, fit for Stage Door Betty

Coady Photography
Angelica Zapata easily won her last start, the Nancy's Glitter Handicap.

MIAMI – Angelica Zapata was the clear-cut leader of the local filly and mare handicap division around two turns when given a breather by trainer Ron Pellegrini after her one-sided victory in the Nancy’s Glitter Handicap in mid-July. And the multiple stakes winner will be expected to pick right up where she left off when returning to action as the starting highweight and solid favorite in Saturday’s $75,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap at Calder.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 15:28

Fairplex: Going for a Spin, coming off restricted stakes win, tries open company in Las Madrinas

Benoit & Associates
Going for a Spin wins the E.B. Johnston Stakes.

POMONA, Calif. – The filly Going for a Spin and the gelding Explain will not object if the Los Angeles County Fair meet ends the same way it began – with a stakes win at Fairplex Park.

Just 14 days after a workmanlike victory opening weekend in the E.B. Johnston Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares, Going for a Spin meets open company Saturday in the $50,000 Las Madrinas Handicap.

Thu, 09/20/2012 - 15:13

Hastings: Courtroom Kiss takes on males in second career start

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Courtroom Kiss, an impressive debut winner in a $40,000 optional maiden claiming race for 2-year-old fillies at Hastings on Aug. 31, will take on the highly rated colt Tracker in a first-level allowance race that headlines Saturday’s eight-race card. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds drew eight horses and goes as the seventh race.

Trainer William La Vanway is using Saturday’s race as a prep to the $75,000 Fantasy on Oct. 14, when Courtroom Kiss will stretch out to a 1 1/16 miles.